Flying machine



I Nov. 5, 1935.

E. G. JOHANSON FLYING MACHINE Filed Aug. 18. 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 5, 1935 PATENT OFFICE FLYING MACHINE Emil G. Johanson, third to Anton Michael Tallitsch,

Chicago, Ill., assignor of one- Turning and one-third to both of Chicago, 111.

Application August 18, 1934, Serial No. 740,498 2 Claims. (01. 244-16) My invention relates to flying machines, and more particularly to the mechanism for propelling the same, and my main object is to provide a mechanism of this kind which employs a novel principle to procure the vertical ascent and .descent of the craft.

A further object of the invention is to include means in the novel mechanism whereby to procure the horizontal or traveling propulsion of the craft.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a simple control for changing the directional course of the craft.

Another object of the invention is to construct the novel mechanism with an array of inverted cup units which combine by motion from a power source to procure the lifting or traveling action of the craft.

An additional object of the invention is to impart to the aforesaid units a rotary rising and falling motion simulative of that taken by the wings of a bird in flight.

An important object of the invention is to construct the same of few and simple parts and" devoid of springs or other delicate mechanisms.

With the above objects in view and any others that may suggest themselves from the specification and claims to follow, a better understanding of the invention may be had by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of the novel mechanism;

Fig. 2 is an elevation;

Fig. 3 is an end View;

Fig. 4 is a detailed section taken on the line 4- of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is an enlargement of a fragment taken from the region of line 44 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a duplication of the right-hand portion of Fig. 2 in a different position.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged elevation of one of the propelling units of the mechanism; and

Fig. 8 is a bottom view of Fig. 7.

In the design of the novel mechanism, I have departed from the conventional use of wings or vanes as employed in aircraft, preferring to provide the inverted cup units and so present a greater resistance to the air. nism may be applied to the framework of any type of aircraft or land vehicle properly designed to suit the purpose. In carrying out the invention, I employ a basic body 15 which I have shown in simple schematic form. The body is preferably elongated, also provided with a power plant and a typical steering mechanism I6.

It is my intention to provide the body l5 with The novel mechapropelling structures fore and aft of like character, these to be connected for joint operation. The power plant, M, is placed in the center of the body, and chains, belts, or other transmission means ll are led from the power plant to a cross shaft I 8 of each structure. journaled in bearing I 8a carried by the body, and lab may be pulleys or sprockets carried by these shafts to receive the drives in the same .direction.

Taking up one of the propelling structures, it will be seen that the shaft it emerges from the bearings 18a to form a four-armed frame l9 arranged next outside the body l5. The arms of the frames l9 are formed with outward pins 59a lodged freely in the sides of a set of inverted cups 20, which are the propelling units referred to above.

Fig. 2 shows the arrangement of a set of cups as related to respective arms of the frontal frame, and it will be noted that the frame arms make connection with the cups behind them and at one side, namely, the left-hand side.' At this time, it will also be noted that a similar plies on the frontal sides of the cups as seen in Fig. 2, the arms of this frame making connection at the right-hand side of each cup by means of pins 2 la. The set of cups is therefore disposed between the frames 19 and 2!.

The cups may be built much like helmets, being of stiff sheet metal, with the sides flat and with the crowns ridged as indicated at 25a in Fig. 3. Thus, considering the unitary cup illustrated in Fig. '7, it is designed to pocket or present resistance to the air when moved downwardly, but rise with less resistance on account of the tapered edges presented by the ridged formations 2001..

It will be noted more particularly in Fig. 4 that the shaft I8 is tubular, and that it contains a free- 1y disposed solid shaft 22. The ends of this shaft project from the frames I9, each to fixedly receive a crank 23 whose outer portion carries a side pin 24. The latter passes freely through the center of the frame 2| to receive the lower portion of a radius arm 25.

With the propelling structures similarly constituted, the radius arms 25 rise to be joined by a longitudinal bar 26 making pivotal connections at 26a with the arms. The bar 26 is ordinarily stationary, and it therefore follows that the internal shaft 22 is also stationary. It is my intention, however, to impart a limited longitudinal adjustment to the bar, and concurrently to the companion bar on the other side of the body E5, to which end I provide a connection originating frame 2| apwith a rock shaft 21 extending transversely above the body IS. The shaft works in bearings 21a and extends therefrom to terminal radius arms 28. These rise to make connection with one of the ends of a pair of links 29, the other ends of these being pivotally connected at 29a to the corresponding bars 26. One of the radius arms 28 is extended upwardly to form a hand lever 28a; also, the same arm operates alongside a toothed segment 30 erected on the body l5, making frictional engagement with the segment. It is seen that by moving the lever 28a from the full-line position to the dotted line position in Fig. 2, the bar 26 will be shifted to the right, the pivotal action of the links 29 serving to take up the arcuate course of the lever 28a.

In the operation of the mechanism, it will be seen that the sets of cups will rotate in unison from the drive imparted to the shafts l8. How-'- ever, therespective cups 20 will not rotate themselves but maintain the same positions as shown at any point in the rotation of the frames, due to the fact that the frames for each set of cups are connected therethrough in parallelism, and that the cranks 23 are stationary. Thus, the cups are being carried in a rotary course with a rising and falling motion, simulating the action of bird wings in flight. Having the openings downwardly, the cups will bear down on or pocket the air immediately below them on their following travel, boosting the craft; and as the cups rise, their tapered top formations will receive less air resistance.

By comparing Figures 2 and 6, it is seen that the shift of the lever 28a operates to deflect the cranks 23' and therefore alter the position of the frames 2| without affecting their parallelism in respect to the frames [9. The effect of this charge is to cause the openings of the cups to face laterally to some extent, as seen in Fig. 6. The movement of the cups will now cause a pressure in the direction of one end of the craft whereby to propel the latter in the opposite direction.

It will be seen that I have provided a mechanism which is not only applicable to air and land vehicle requirements, but also employs well established principles and a simple arrangement of parts to procure the movement of the craft. The mechanism is capable of being built sturdily, and has no springs or other delicate parts which may get out of order and affect the safety of the craft.

While the mechanism may operate efficiently with the single adjustment described, it may be of advantage to provide the top portions of the cups with perforations and shutters adjustable across them. Thus, the ascent of the craft may be retarded or its descent accelerated by opening, the shutters, and vice versa, suitable operating hand controls for the shutters being provided. 10

I claim:- 1

1. A flying machine comprising a body, at least a pair of longitudinally spaced tubular crossshafts journaled on said body and connected together for uni-directional rotation, a frame axl5 ially formed on each end of each tubular shaft, each frame comprising a hub and a plurality of radial arms extending therefrom, a solid shaft journaled within each of said tubular shafts and extending outwardly beyond the ends thereof, a 20 single crank formed on each projecting end of each solid shaft, a second and similar frame journaled on the offset shafts of each crank, an inverted cup member carried between each corresponding pair of arms of adjacent frames, said cups being journaled to each arm at a point off- I set with respect to its journal connection with the other frame, radial arms fixed on the free ends of the offset shafts on at least one side of said body, a bar pivotally connected to the free 30 ends of said arms, means for moving said bar axially to rotate all of said cranks and turn said frames carried thereby with respect to said other frames, and means for rotating all of said frames.

2. A flying machine comprising a body, a tubular shaft journaled on said body, a second shaft having a portion thereof journaled in said tubular shaft, a single crank formed on one end of said second shaft, a frame comprising a hub and a plurality'of radial arms, said frame being fixed on said tubular shaft, a second and similar frame journaled on the offset shaft of said crank, inverted cup members carried by said arms of said frames, each cup being journaled to adjacent arms of both frames, said journal connections being offset with respect to each other, means for turning said second frame upon the shaft supporting it with respect to said other frame, and means for rotating both frames.

MIL G. JOHANSON. 

